Wednesday, September 26, 2012

iExamen Nik Lelifanovski

iExamen

While
technology is by definition not a part of nature, it has become a part of the
nature of the life of most individuals in the developed world. Although in my own life my use of technology
tends to help me to connect with my family and friends and to meet new people,
it also distracts me from noticing possibilities that are directly in my vision
and it sometimes impedes me from self-reflection. It is an aid and a hindrance; an opportunity
and a crutch. As I experienced the iExamen, my reflections on technology's
influence on my life have certainly encouraged me to consider aspects of my
life that are lacking in authenticity and also opportunities I am missing, but
ultimately I believe that technology is an intrinsic, vital part of my
existence.

Technology
is inextricably intertwined in my daily life - social, intellectual, and
personal. As I wake up every morning, I check my phone and check all my Facebook
notifications then my twitter. Then I hurry and get dressed and walk to class
while texting and search for information on my phone. I walk outside and do not
look what is in front of me because I am so distracted by the text messages that
I receive on my phone. I keep refreshing Facebook hoping something new would
appear on my home page, giving me a small, narcissistic bounce. I realized that
my social life is lackluster because I am absorbed with text messaging and
using my laptop to communicate. I noticed that I miss opportunities to speak
with people in person because I am too busy checking my text messages or
reviewing missed calls that I receive during class. By contrast, I have
realized that I do protect my intellectual life from the distractions from
technology because I turn everything off during class. As I reflect through
this iExamen test, I am somewhat disturbed to realize that my use of,
relationships through and relationship with technology contribute substantially
to my own sense of self worth.

Technological
deprivation is just as disorienting as sleep deprivation - at least for me. On
Sunday afternoon, I divested myself of my electronic accoutrements for the
iExamen. For this dreadful, hour-long experiment,
I went outside and wandered around, admiring the beauty of nature, which I had
mostly not noticed before. The
juxtaposition of my discomfort with technology's influence on my self-worth
with my discovery of how beautiful our campus is encouraged me to contemplate other
wonders I may have missed. I noticed that this space, barren of technology, was
more peaceful but also less engaging, less frenetic but more idle.

When
I returned to using technology I wondering which reality is more illusory. Am I
dreaming through social media, or would life be less authentic without all
these ways of communicating and connecting?
For me, I believe, technological connectivity is natural. When using my technology again, I felt that I
had returned to the "real world," and I was eager to reconnect with
schedules, events, and updates. If I
wanted to take the experiment to the next level, I would spend a weekend in the
woods, on my own with my thoughts and nature, but, alas, I suspect Walden Pond
is beyond this modern man's capacity.